Sister Love
by S. T. Nickolian
Summary: Hinata and Hanabi share a special bond, how will they react when Hinata is forced to be in the Branch House?


Sister Love

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto; if I did, don't you think I would be around… twenty million dollars richer than I am?

* * *

"_Ne, 'Nata-chan?" The Hyuuga heiress looked down at her little sister and smiled, causing the younger girl to smile back. "Why are you nervous all the time, especially around Uzumaki-san? You're really smart, pretty, and kind, so why do you seem so afraid?"_

_Hinata's smile faded to a sadder one, and Hanabi's smiled vanished at the sad look in her sister's pale eyes. "You don't need to worry about it, 'Nabi-chan; Otou-san would want you to focus more on your training." Inside, it hurt the younger Hyuuga to know that her aneue wouldn't confide in her, but she could understand why with everything their father put on her._

"_Alright, 'Nee-chan, but if you need to talk, I'll listen and so will Neji-nii-san." Hanabi watched her sister smile a little more and, after making sure none of the elders were around, gave Hinata a hug. "I love you, 'Nee-chan."_

_Hinata was shocked for a moment before returned the hug, smiling truly for the first time in a long while. "I love you, too, Imouto."

* * *

_

That had been less than a month ago, and, now Hanabi was on eth verge of tears as she listened to her father condemn Hinata to live as a Branch member of the clan. She looked to Neji and saw that his face was emotionless, but his fists were clenching hard enough to draw blood from his palms.

She looked back to her sister to see that she was trembling, but her face was schooled into and indifferent mask. Hanabi's heart cried out to her sister, know how much Hinata had tried to impress Hiashi, and now he was disowning her in front of the whole clan. She was also afraid that this wouldn't work. There was a reason the Caged Bird Seal was placed on the Branch members at such a young age; many times, at this age, new Branch members didn't survive the sealing. _I don't want to lose my sister…_

"You are hereby proclaimed as a Branch member of the Hyuuga Clan; you are to now give your life for the clan if need be." Hanabi glanced at the current leader of the clan and thought she might catch some glimpse of regret in his Byakugan. There was nothing. "Your belongings will be taken to the Branch House immediately."

Hanabi could only watch as her sister bowed in respect and remained bent over as she backed out of the room.

* * *

Hanabi looked around with her Byakugan again to make sure that no one was around. Seeing no one, she dragged the curious, but still confused Neji down the hall. She held his now bandaged hand in her smaller one tightly.

She had barged into his room, waking him up and dragged him out of his room and down the hall where her sister's room now was.

"Hanabi-sama, what are we doing?" Apparently, his whisper wasn't quiet enough because she shushed him quietly then began to drag him away again.

They reached Hinata's room to hear quiet sobbing. Hanabi's heart clenched and she cursed her father again before slowly opening the door. "'Nee-chan?"

What the two saw cut through them like a razor sharp kunai. Hinata was lying on her new bed, crying into her pillow. Hanabi immediately ran to her sister, beginning to shed tears of her own. The younger Hyuuga climbed onto the bed and wrapped her arms around the girl.

Neji looked angry, but it wasn't directed at the girls. He softly closed the door and sat on the bed to wrap his arms around both of them, lending what comfort her could. Now he understood why Hanabi had woken him up; they needed to be there for their sister.

After a long while, Hinata calmed down and fell asleep in her siblings' embraces, Hanabi nearly following her. "Neji-nii-san?" He paused in stroking her hair to look down at her, showing her that he was listening. "Is it possible for me to get the seal, too?"

The eldest of the three was shocked. "It's possible, but highly improbable now that you are the heiress and there is no one after you." _Why would she want to know that?_

Hanabi yawned and nuzzled her way closer to her sister. "I want the seal, so I can be with 'Nee-chan and 'Nii-san…" She was asleep before Neji could break through his shock and question her on that.

"Now I've heard everything…" As he looked down at his sisters, he couldn't help but wonder how far the younger one would go to be with the elder.

* * *

"Neji-san!" The Hyuuga looked up at the call and saw an excited/panicked Branch member running up to him. "We must return to the compound immediately; something has happened to Hanabi-sama!"

Everyone present except Lee and Gai looked confused; where did he go? Gai took the 'nice guy' pose. "NEJI-KUN'S FLAMES OF YOUTH MUST SHINE BRIGHTLY FOR HIM TO RUN AT SUCH AN INCREDILE SPEED!"

The other Hyuuga's eyes widened. Neji had disappeared because he was running?! He took off after him immediately, though not nearly as fast. In the background, Lee and Gai were having another one of their… sentimental moments. (XD)

* * *

Neji ran to the compound, praying that Hanabi hadn't done what he thought she might have done. He went to the meeting hall and took his place among the Branch members, beside Hinata. He saw her wringing her hands together and placed his arm around her waist where it wouldn't be seen by the Head House members, but could still offer her comfort. She gave him a look of thanks before turning to face forward again.

Neji heard the girl beside him choke one a sob as her sister came forward, the Caged Bird Seal evident on her forehead and a defiant gleam in her eyes. Though he was sad that she was now cursed, and angry at the whole system, (again,) he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride for his young cousin. She was stronger than he had thought, and he couldn't be more proud to have her as a sister.

The turned to Hinata and saw that, though she had tears in her eyes, she was smiling. "Hanabi-chan…"

The girl stood before the elders, proud and defiant, while they looked on with shock, anger and regret in their own Byakugans. Hiashi's eyes held a pain that hadn't been there when he condemned Hinata, causing Hanabi's resolve to strengthen; if he felt this bad about one daughter's condemnation, why not the other? "Why have you done such a thing, Hanabi? Do you realize the consequences of your actions?!"

The young girl just stood there and let them rant until they finally calmed down. She had been to enough of these such meetings to understand that Branch members were to remain silent until given permission. When they were finished, she held her head high and spoke in a clear voice. "I know perfectly well the consequences of my actions: the Hyuuga clan will have no heir to the Main House. As for my reasons, they are personal and I do not wish to disclose them at this time."

Murmurs were heard throughout the room and Hanabi was sure there were a few proud smiles on the faces of some Branch members; however, she kept her cool gaze locked with Hiashi's famous Byakugan. She no longer considered him a father, a leader only and barely that. She resisted the urge to smirk at the slight hurt in his eyes.

"If I may, Elders, I will take my leave to prepare for my move to the Branch House, with the rest of my family." She bowed and seemed about to leave when another thought came to her. "I will fight to protest the Hyuuga Clan, but not out of loyalty to the clan that you rule, but loyalty to the clan where my sister is."

Without another word, she left the room and let out a sight of relief as the door closed. That had been, surprisingly, harder than actually giving herself the seal had been, but she still smiled as she went to her room to pack.

She was surprised that, after a few minutes, her door opened to reveal Neji and Hinata, both smiling at her a little proudly. She turned around completely and smiled, suddenly feeling tears well up in her eyes. She launched herself at her siblings, knocking them into the hallway a step.

They all smiled and shared a relief-filled hug before going back into her room to pack.

Hiashi watched this with his Byakugan, not sure how he should feel about this. His paternal side told him that he should be happy for his daughters and nephew since they were happy, but the Hyuuga Head side of him told him to be infuriated that his heir had given herself the Caged Bird Seal to be with two Branch members.

He shook his head and looked to photograph he had. In it, he and Hizashi were smiling with the two girls that had become their wives when they were young, just a day before Hizashi was given the seal. His eyes softened and he sighed with a smile. _I guess I'll side with the paternal side of me after all._

His smile widened as he saw the three Branch members leaving the Main House, smiling and talking about what they were going to do with their friends. _I never should have tried to come between the sisters' love.

* * *

_

AN: I kind of meant that to be a drabble, but meh. Not much to say about this one. Review please!


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